LAURA: a resurvey database of forest vegetation in southwestern Poland

By

Świerkosz, Krzysztof
Wójcicka-Rosińska, Anna
Kuras-Hilares, Iwona
Pech, Paweł
Reczyńska, Kamila

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-5-14

Original Publication

Vegetation classification and survey

Volume

6

Pages

131--132

Subjects

Alno glutinosae-Populetea albae , Carpino-Fagetea sylvaticae , forest vegetation , quasi-permanent plot , Quercetea pubescentis , resurvey vegetation database , southwestern Poland , Vaccinio-Piceetea

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers 2020-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.150538

 

Abstract

The LAURA database is a resurvey dataset documenting long-term changes in forest vegetation across southwestern Poland. It currently includes 842 phytosociological relevés from 409 plots across 20 sites. The dataset covers a wide range of forest types, from lowland riparian forests up to subalpine woods. The database primarily relies on archival data collected between 1955 and 2000, which are revisited at the originally described locations, mostly in nature reserves. The average time span between surveys is 35 years, with a minimum of 14 years. The LAURA database provides valuable insights into the long-term effects of environmental change on forest communities. It may facilitate studies on species composition shifts, biodiversity trends, and forest succession in response to factors such as climate change, land-use history, and conservation efforts. Additionally, by integrating part of its dataset (35%) with forestREplot and ReSurveyEurope, it contributes to large-scale comparative analyses of European forest ecosystems.